#Nonwovens / Technical Textiles

2019-10-02

RISE® Conference delivers insights on sustainable technologies to transform engineered fabrics

Over 170 professionals in materials science, product development, and new technologies participated in the ninth conference edition of RISE®—Research, Innovation & Science for Engineered Fabrics, Sept. 24-25th—at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina. The event was co-organized by INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, The Nonwovens Institute, and North Carolina State University.

Surfaceskins – Antibacterial Door Pads & Handles Wins Innovation Award

Participants gave high praise for the focus of the three major sessions: Sustainable Additives & Polymers, Circular Innovation, and Market Data & Intelligence Trends.

“I learned a lot,” said Basak Ozturk, Senior Researcher, Hygiene, HYAT Kimya San A.S…”This conference provides valuable new nuggets of information and I always make six to eight strong connections,” commented Darryl Fournier, Vice President, North America, Fibertex Nonwovens…“I like the diversity; this is my sixth time at RISE® making connections,” said Sanjiv Malkan, Ph.D., Engineering Principal, Textile & Adhesive Engineering, Hunter Douglas…“It’s an excellent conference,” said Lee Clapp, Ph.D., Director of Market Development and Innovation, Americas, Omya Inc…“I come to learn,” said Harish Patel, R&D Director, Cardinal Health.

Highlights of the event included keynote presentations on CiCLO Sustainable Textile Technology, a technology that allows polyester to biodegrade in marine environments, wastewater treatment plants and landfill conditions, by Andrea Ferris, Chief Executive Officer, Intrinsic Advanced Materials; The U.S. Economic Outlook, by John Connaughton, PhD, Barings Professor of Financial Economics, UNC-Charlotte; and Biodegradation-Promoting Additions for Plastics – Questions You Should Ask, by Susan E. Selke, Ph.D., Director and Professor – School of Packaging, Michigan State University.

The program included presentations on Sustainable Additives, Innovations, a poster exhibition presented by The Nonwovens Institute highlighting 15 examples of new research from graduate students, and the presentation of the RISE® Innovation Award winner.

RISE® Innovation Award Presentation

The RISE® Innovation Award was presented to Surfaceskins, from Nonwovens Innovation & Research Institute for its innovative antibacterial door push pads and pull handles, engineered to kill germs and bacteria in between one user and the next, thus helping prevent the spread of healthcare associated infections.

The 10th edition of the Research, Innovation & Science for Engineered Fabrics (RISE®) conference will again be held in September 2020 in Raleigh, NC at North Carolina University and co-organized by INDA, The Nonwovens Institute, and NC State University.

Global Nonwovens Alliance unveils Inaugural Board, advancing collaboration and growth worldwide

The Global Nonwovens Alliance (GNA), a tax-exempt federation jointly founded by INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, and EDANA, the Voice of Nonwovens, announces the appointment of its founding Board of Directors. This group of leaders represents some of the most influential executives across the nonwovens value chain and reflects GNA’s mission to foster global collaboration, innovation, and growth in the industry.

INDA announces finalists for the 2025 RISE® Innovation Award

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, is pleased to announce the three finalists for the 2025 RISE® Innovation Award. A highlight of the RISE® (Research, Innovation & Science for Engineered Fabrics) Technology Conference, this award recognizes groundbreaking nonwoven-based innovations with the potential to advance the industry.

ANDRITZ sets focus on textile recycling and durable nonwoven production technologies at ITMA Asia 2025

International technology Group ANDRITZ will be presenting its innovative nonwovens production and textile solutions at ITMA ASIA + CITME 2025 in Singapore, from October 28 to 31, 2025 (Hall 2, D106). ANDRITZ will showcase its MMCF production plants, textile sorting and recycling, bast fiber processing, needlepunch, airlay, and life-cycle service technologies, with a focus on sustainable solutions. Discover how these innovations can grow your business opportunities and support a greener future.

OUTLOOK™ 2025: Charting a sustainable and innovative future for the Nonwovens Industry

EDANA concluded its flagship event, OUTLOOK™ 2025, last week, marking it as a major success and addressing the biggest questions facing the industry. The three-day conference highlighted the urgent need for a unified approach to sustainability, regulation, and innovation in the absorbent hygiene and wipes sectors.

Cinte Techtextil China proves to be dynamic international platform and launchpad for new market potential

After three days of facilitating meaningful exchange for numerous applications of technical textiles and nonwovens, Cinte Techtextil China 2025 concluded on 5 September at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. Feedback across the fairground was highly positive, especially from first-time exhibitors and buyers who valued the platform’s capability to create new opportunities both in China and overseas markets.

MUNICH FABRIC START: Between Attitude and Sensuality

The future begins where we reimagine it. After seasons of restraint, Spring.Summer 27 marks a conscious counter-trend: optimism, sensuality, and creative freedom are replacing pragmatism and neutrality. Physical presence and individuality are regaining importance – as a response to uncertainty, exhaustion, and algorithmic predictability. The overarching theme of PLEASURE stands for fashion as an emotional space, as an expression of attitude and cultural reflection. Colours, surfaces, and materials become vehicles for self-confidence and joie de vivre.

organIQ seek: smart alternative to potassium permanganate

CHT Group announces new technical findings within its organIQ seek platform that significantly advance the transition toward permanganate-free denim bleaching. Through extensive industrial testing and application research, CHT confirms that organIQ seek can now be used with remarkable effectiveness as a substitute for potassium permanganate in spray bleach, while remaining aligned with sustainability expectations and cost realities in the European market. At the COLOMBIATEX in Medellín as well as at the Exintex in Puebla and the Kingpins Show in Amsterdam the CHT Group will present organIQ seek as an alternative to potassium permanganate.

PERFORMANCE DAYS: Focus topic shifts to the beginning of the value chain

Following the last Focus Topic in October 2025, which placed Textile-to-Textile Recycling at its core, PERFORMANCE DAYS continues to drive the conversation around circularity – this time with an expanded and more upstream perspective. The upcoming Focus Topic, “Textile to Textile: The Role of Collectors and Sorters,” presented during the spring edition on March 18–19, will spotlight one of the most essential yet often overlooked components of a functioning circular textile system: the efficient collection and sorting of post-consumer textiles.

Proven performance, optimised costs – the new RE 6 EL

Nowadays textile companies increasingly need to produce small production runs and respond to market changes with instantaneous pattern changes in order to operate profitably – meaning they require machines that offer maximum flexibility, reliability and cost efficiency. KARL MAYER understands the challenges of the market and is launching its new RE 6 EL. The Raschel machine offers the core strengths of the classic RSE 6 EL and essentially the same performance parameters, but has been further cost-optimised largely due to local production advantages. This makes the newcomer an efficiency champion in production, especially when it comes to frequent pattern changes.